Bridle-bit.



o. 8411007. PATENTED JAN. 8, 1907.

J; A. PRETWELL.

BRIDLB BIT. APPLICATION FILED JULY19.190 6.

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No. 841,007. PATENTBD JAN. a, 1907.

J. A, FRETWELL.

' BRIDLE BIT.

APPLIGATIONEILED JULYIQ. 1906.

2 SHEET8-SHEET 2.

JOHN A. F RETWELL, OF LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS.

BRlDLE-BIT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 8, 1907.

Application filed July 19, 1906. Serial No. 326.945.

' To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. FRETWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bridle-Bits; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improve ments in bridle-bits and is intended more especially to provide certain improvements on the bit shown in thepatent to George E. Smith, No. 637,170, granted November 14, 1899. In bits of this class the side pieces of the bit-frame are connected by a mouth-bar composed of two members, one of which is fixed relatively to the side frames of the bit, while the other member may be caused to assume a variety of positions for the purposes hereinafter described.

Reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which the same parts are indicated by the same letters throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bit, showing the two members of the mouth-bar in contact with each other, forming, in effect, a single mouth-bar. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the bit on a somewhat larger scale than in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail showing .the movable member of the mouthbar in perspective. Fig. 4 shows the movable member of the mouth-bar in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in two other positions, hereinafter to be described. Fig. 5 shows the movable member of the mouthbar slightly moved away from the fixed member. Fig. 6 shows the movable member of the mouth-bar in full lines in one position and in dotted lines in two other positions, hereinafter described. Fig. 7 shows still another position of the movable member of the mouthbar, and Fig. 8 shows the connection of the two members of the mouth-bar to the side frame of the bit.

The bit is composed of two side frames A, connected together by a mouth-bar composed of a fixed member B and the movable member C, which is clamped in the desired position by means .of the thumb-nut D, as will be hereinafter described. Each side frame of the bit is provided with a head portion A with slot a for the headstall of the bridle with a curved central portion A provided with a slot (1 for the reins, and also provided with a substantially arc-shaped slot A", enlarged, as at a". The ends of this slot are preferably plane, as at (1 The lower end A of each side frame is provided with a slot a to which may be fastened the reins or a check-strap, as may be desired. The fixed member B of the mouth-bar is arched, as at b, and the edges of this recess are rounded off, as at b, to prevent injury to the mouth of the animal.

When the movable member C of the mouthbar is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 there is a small chamber between the two members of the mouth-bar, in which may be placed any suitable medicine or antiseptic or the like, which will gradually ooze out, owing to the action of the saliva, which will penetrate the small openings in this chamber, due to lack of closeness of fitbetween the two members, or the two members may be so arranged that they will not fit snugly together when in the closed position. The movable member C of the mouth-bar is provided with squared guide-lugs 0, adapted to project into the slots A of the side frames A and to turn freely in the enlarged portions (t of said slots. Beyond these guide-lugs c are screw-threaded bolts 0, which engage the thumb-nuts D, and thus this movable member of the mouth bar may be clamped at any desired position relative'to the slots A and may be turned around by simply moving the guide-lugs 0 into the enlargements a of the slots AP.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the bit is shown as, in offeet, an ordinary curb-bit, except that the mouthbar is provided with a chamber to receive medicine or a stimulant or the like.

In Fig. 4 the movable member is shown in full lines at C as brought down to the lower position in the slot A but without being reversed. In this position it may be lashed in the mouth of the animal and will serve to pry the teeth apart, but at the same time will permit the tongue of the animal free motion under the arched portion of the movable member. This will facilitate "drenching, as the animal will be perfectly free to swallow, but will be unable to bite or break the neck of the bottle or other device used in administerin the liquid. Should it be desired to use the bit as a speculum to hold the animals mouth wide open for treating the teeth or throat of the animal, the movable member is brought down to the portion a of the slot A is then rotated through one hundred and eighty degrees, and is finally clamped at the lower end of the slot A", asindicated at C in Fig. 4 and also in dotted lines at C in Fi 2. The bit may now be lashed in place, and the animals mouth will'be held wide open as long as desired.

By rotating the movable member as just described and clamping it into the position shown at C in Fig. 4 the mouth-bar will be so spread that the animal will not be able to clench the bit or take the bit in his teeth, as is commonly expressed. Thus animals having the habit of running away can be positively broken of it by this arrangement of, the

.bit.

It frequently happens in practice in driving pairs that one horse pulls much harder on the bit than the other or the latter has what is called a tenderer mouth. By adjusting the position of the movable member of the mouth-bar, as shown at C in Fig. 5, the feel may beso regulated that the same ull on the reins will have the same effect with both horses. Thus one horse may have a very hard mouth and the other a very tender mouth but by adjusting the position of the movable bar 0 on the hard-mouthed horse this difference is taken care of.

The movable member may be brought to the position shown at C in Fig. 6, in which case it would be outside of the mouth of the horse and in rear of his chin. Now if the reins be pulled on the arch of the bar C will press up under the chin of the animal and very powerful pressure may be applied, as may be required, for instance, in breaking-in a horse. On the other hand, the movable member may be turned to the reverse po sition, as shown at C in Fig. 6, in which case the concave side of the bar would come up under the animals chin when the reins are pulled on and the same effect as would be secured with a curb, attained. to the position shown in dotted lines at O in Fig. 6, the two members of the mouth-bar will be in position to be firmly gripped by the chain, or strap would be teeth of the animal, and thus the bit is es- If the movable member is thrown pecially useful with those animals which have been trained when speeding to pull from the mouth. Finally, if the movable member be clamped in the position shown at O in Fig. 7 the said member may be caused to press upinto the roof of the animals month, which is very sensitive, and thus animals that areapt to run away may be held in absolute control. Thus it will be seen that in addition to the great variety of adjustable positions similar to that indicated in Fig. 5 there are eight other positions of the movable member of the mouth-bar, each of which performs some function in the use of the bit.

It will be seen that I have provided a strong and simple bit which may be quickly and easily adjusted for any of the purposes stated and which while calculated to keep the animal under control is not apt to injure the animal by needlessly wounding or cutting its mouth.

The invention has various other advantages which will readily suggest themselves to any practical stockman.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

A bridle-bit comprising two side frames each provided with a curved slot with an enlargement in the central portion of said slot, the mouth-bar consisting of an arched fixed member having a grooved channel therein, with rounded edges, and an arched movable member elliptical in cross-section adapted to fit approximately to and partly fill said grooved channel when in the closed position, and provided with square guide-lugs projecting into said curved slots and normally held against turning in the side frames, but turning freely in the enlargements in said grooves, with lock-nuts clamping said movable member to said frame, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in presence of two witneses.

, JOHN A. FRETWELL.

Witnesses: I i

J. W. Roenns,

J. T. MARTIN Roenns. 

